MNS Workers Attack Bank Employee in Nagpur
Party members assault Yes Bank official over a repossessed vehicle, as party faces criticism for recurring violence.
- MNS workers in Nagpur assaulted a Yes Bank employee, blackening his face, in a protest over a repossessed JCB machine.
- The party justified its actions by accusing the bank of “arbitrary” repossession and flouting loan rules.
- The incident is the latest in a series of violent acts by MNS workers, including an attack on a coaching center director and an excise inspector.
GG News Bureau
Nagpur, 5th Aug: Workers of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) created a ruckus at a Yes Bank branch in Nagpur on Tuesday, where they assaulted a bank employee and blackened his face. The incident, captured on cell phone videos, is the latest in a series of violent acts by the party’s cadre, drawing sharp criticism from political opponents.
The incident was triggered by a loan dispute involving a customer named Indrajit Baliram Mule, who had taken a loan for a JCB machine. According to the MNS, the bank had repossessed the JCB after Mule fell behind on a few installments, allegedly without proper notice. Furious with this, dozens of MNS workers, identifiable by their orange scarves, stormed the bank on Mount Road and accosted a junior loan officer.
In a statement justifying their actions, the MNS’s city unit accused the bank of “arbitrary” and hasty repossession of the vehicle and alleged collusion between bank officials and certain dealers. They demanded that the bank return the vehicle to the customer immediately. Police were present at the scene to manage the situation, but no official police complaint had been filed by the victim at the time of this report. Yes Bank has not yet issued an official statement regarding the incident.
The assault comes as the MNS has been actively seeking to rebuild its political presence ahead of the upcoming civic polls, with party chief Raj Thackeray recently reuniting with his cousin Uddhav Thackeray. However, the party’s tactics have drawn criticism. Reacting to the video, Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC called the MNS’s actions “political opportunism” and stated that while her party supports “Marathi pride,” taking the law into one’s own hands is unacceptable.
The Nagpur incident is not an isolated one. In recent weeks, MNS workers have been involved in multiple instances of public thuggery, including:
Garlanding an excise inspector with liquor bottles in Sindhudurg during a protest against illegal liquor sales.
Slapping and attacking the director of a coaching center in Kalyan over allegations of high fees and poor-quality teaching.
The recurring incidents of violence appear to contradict Raj Thackeray’s recent message to his party workers, where he urged them to maintain unity and focus on preparing for the elections rather than engaging in internal disputes.
